1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing method and printer system, and more particularly, to a printing method and printer system, adapted to print an image on a recording medium in a reduced time.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, to print an image data represented by a natural image, any of the following two typical printing methods is used frequently:
In a first one of such printing methods, various input devices each for input of an image data are connected to a general-purpose computer to which a printer is connected, the image data is supplied from the input devices to the computer where they are subjected to various edition processes to provide a data to be printed (will be referred to as xe2x80x9cprint dataxe2x80x9d hereinunder) which is supplied to the printer which will print it. The input devices include a removable medium drive being a recording/reproducing apparatus for removable media, an NTSC (National Television System Committee) video signal input board, a silver film scanner, a digital still camera, etc.
In a second printing method, various input devices such as a digital still camera and original scanner are connected directly to a printer, not via a computer, and print data is supplied from the input devices to the printer which will print out the data.
The first method will further be described below:
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is schematically illustrated the first example of conventional image data printing method. As shown, the printer system carrying out this first method of image data printing comprises mainly a host computer (will be referred to simply as xe2x80x9ccomputerxe2x80x9d hereinunder) 1001, a printer 1002 and an input device 1003.
The input device 1003 may be any one of the aforementioned removable media (read-only optical disc such as a so-called CD-ROM and rewritable magneto-optical disc such as a so-called MD-DATA, etc.) drives, video signal (NTSC, PAL (=Phase Alternation by Line), RGB, S-terminal signal, etc.) input devices, digital still camera, silver film (35 mm film, so-called APS film carrying also information associated with an image, etc.) scanners, manuscript scanners, etc.
As shown, the printer 1002 may be any one comprising a print head 1004 which actually prints and a head drive circuit 1005 which drives the print head 1004.
As shown, the computer 1001 may be a one comprising an interface 1006 for input of an image data from the input device 1003 to the computer 1001, a data processor 1007 for processing the image data to provide a print data, and a two-way printer interface 1008 for output of the print data from the data processor 1007 to the printer 1002. The data processor 1007 is provided with a device driver compatible with the input devices 1003 of various types to control the latter, a printer driver compatible with the printer 1002 to control the latter, and also an application software for control of input, processing and printout of an image data. The application software uses the data processor 1007 to process the data.
The computer 1001 is further provided with a display device 1009 as a man-machine interface, and a pointing device 1010 as a mouse, keyboard or the like by which an external instruction is supplied to the computer 1001. Moreover, the computer 1001 is provided with an image memory 1011 such as a hard disc to store image data supplied from the input device 1003.
The input device 1003 is connected to the interface 1006 in the computer 1001, and the two-way printer interface 1008 in the computer 1001 is connected to the printer 1002. Thus the input device 1003 is indirectly connected to the printer 1002.
For actual printing, the following operations are effected:
That is, when the application software in the computer 1001 and the device driver corresponding to the image data input device 1003 is put into run, the input device 1003 is driven via the image data input interface 1006 to read image data under the control of the computer 1001. The image data is supplied to the computer 1001 via the interface 1006.
Next, according to an external instruction supplied from the pointing device 1010, the application software in the data processor 1007 edits and processes the image data supplied to the computer 1001, as desired by the user. If the image data processing is also done at this time, the data is processed as necessary through calculation by the data processor 1007 in the computer 1001.
Thus the image data is subjected to an edition process designated by the user. When an image to be printed is thus determined, the printing operation is started. More particularly, when the user determines an image to be printed or selects a printing operation to given an instruction for starting the printing operation, the application software will control the printer driver and each data processing for printing in the data processor 1007, and convert the image data to a print data which can be delivered as an output to the printer 1002. At this time, the computer 1001 detects the status of the printer 1002 via the two-way printer interface 1008.
The print data thus generated through the conversion is configured as a printer control instruction and it is sent to the printer 1002 via the two-way printer interface 1008. Next, based on the print data included in the received printer control instruction, the head drive circuit 1005 in the printer 1002 drives the print head 1004 which will thus print out an image on a recording medium.
More specifically, an image data is processed as will be described below with reference to a circuit diagram in FIG. 2 showing a data flow in the conventional image data printing method in FIG. 1. Note that a slash marked on a line indicative of a data flow in FIG. 2 means that the data transmitted over the line is an 8-bit/color data. An RGB image data supplied to an image data input 1012 in the computer 1001 is sent to an image data processor 1013 where it will be processed as necessary. At this time, the data is held as an image file 1011a in the image memory 1011 as necessary. The RGB image data is sent from the image data processor 1013 to a printer driver 1014 which controls the printer 1002.
As shown in FIG. 2, main components of the printer driver 1014 are an RGB-CMY converter 1015 to convert the RGB image data to a CMY print data, a color correction circuit 1016 to correct the color as necessary, a black extraction/background color removal circuit 1017 to extract black in addition to CMY, an output gamma correction/gradation correction circuit 1018 to correct a characteristic peculiar to the printer, and a sharpness correction circuit 1019 which effects an edge enhancement, etc.
More particularly, RGB image data sent from the image data processor 1013 to the printer driver 1014 is first converted to CMY print data. After corrected in color, the CMY print data is converted to a print data including black as well (the black print data is indicated with a reference K in FIG. 2), corrected concerning a characteristic peculiar to the printer 1002, edge-enhanced and then sent to the printer 1002. At this time, in case a binary printer to reproduce an image based on whether a print dot exists or not, such as an ink jet printer, is used as the printer 1002, a binary coder has to be additionally provided downstream of the sharpness correction circuit 1019 of the printer driver 1014. However, in case a sublimation type printer to represent a gradation within print dots, or the like is used as the printer 1002, the binary coder is not necessary.
The printer 1002 incorporates an output characteristic converter 1020 which corrects output characteristic according to the status of the printer 1002 and suppresses a printer-caused nonuniformity, and also the head rive circuit 1005 and print head 1004.
Therefore, the CMYK print data sent from the printer driver 1014 to the printer 1002 is passed sequentially through the output characteristic converter 1020 to the head drive circuit 1005 and print head 1004 for printing.
Next, the second method will be described herebelow with reference to FIG. 3 schematically illustrating the second example of conventional image data printing method. As shown, the printer implementing the second method comprises mainly a digital still camera 1021 as an input device, and a printer 1022.
The digital still camera 1021 comprises mainly an image pickup device 1023 to acquire an image of an object, a pointing device 1024 for input of an external instruction such as a shutter or the like, an image memory 1025 for temporary storage of the acquired image, an image data processor 1026 to process data of the acquired image as necessary, and a display device 1027 to display the image.
The printer 1022 comprises mainly an output characteristic conversion circuit 1028 to correct output characteristic according to the status of the printer 1022, a head drive circuit 1029 to drive a print head 1030, and the print head 1030 to actually print the image.
For data transfer from the digital still camera 1021 to the printer 1022, the camera 1021 and printer 1022 may be connected to each other via a wire circuit, image data produced by the digital still camera 1021 be converted to a print data for transfer as a digital signal, or converted to an analog video signal for transfer, to the printer 1022 via a wire circuit. Alternatively, Ir-DA or the like may be used to transfer the image data via a wireless circuit from the digital still camera 1021 to the printer 1022.
For actual printing, the following operations are effected:
A signal of acquired image of an object has already been supplied from the image pickup 1023 to the digital still camera 1021 during the preparation for the imaging, namely, before the user presses the shutter of the digital still camera 1021 to start the imaging, and the image data processor 1026 has corrected the characteristic and imaging conditions of the image pickup 1023 for the image signal. The image thus corrected is displayed on the display device 1027 and so the user can check the coverage and positioning of the object. For such checking, the user may use an optical finder, if any, of the digital still camera 1021 in lieu of the display device 1027.
Next, when the user operates the pointing device 1024 such as a shutter, an imaging is stared. When an imaging start instruction is thus given, an image data supplied from the image pickup 1023 and corrected concerning the characteristic and imaging conditions of the image pickup 1023 is stored into the image memory 1025. The image data is compressed as necessary for storage into the image memory 1025 The compression may be done by the image data processor 1026.
For printing an image stored in the image memory 1025, the user operates the pointing device 1024 such as a key to start the printing operation. Then, the image data processor 1026 reads a predetermined image data from the image memory 1025, and converts it for output to the printer 1022 by expanding it as necessary.
Depending upon the mode of the interface between the digital still camera 1021 and printer 1022, the image data is transferred as a digital image data or analog video signal to the printer 1022 via a wire or wireless circuit.
At the printer 1022, the output characteristic conversion circuit 1028 corrects and converts the image data according to the printout conditions to provide a data based on which the print head 1030 is driven by the head drive circuit 1029 to print an image on a recording medium.
The user can edit, process or synthesize an image data by using the pointing device 1024 to give a instruction to the image data processor 1026 in the digital still camera 1021 while checking the image displayed on the display device 1027 to select a desired one of the processes The image data processing will be effected in the digital still camera 1021.
The above-mentioned image data processing may be done as will further be described with reference to FIG. 4, for example, which is a circuit diagram showing the flow of data in the conventional image data printing method. Note that a slash marked on a line indicative of the data flow in FIG. 4 means that the data transmitted over the line is an 8-bit/color data. RGB image data acquired by the image pickup 1023 of the digital still camera 1021 is sent to the image data processor 1026 where it will be processed as necessary. At this time, the image data is held in the image memory 1025 as necessary. Thereafter, the RGB image data is sent from the image data processor 1026 to the printer 1022 via the image data output 1031.
The printer 1022 comprises an output characteristic conversion circuit 1028, head drive circuit 1029 and a print head 1030, and similar components to those of the printer driver 1014 shown in FIG. 2.
The printer 1022 further comprises an image data input 1032 to receive an image data from the digital still camera 1021, an RGB-CMY converter 1033 connected to the image data input 1032 to convert RGB image data to CMY print data, a color correction circuit 1034 to correct color as necessary, a black extraction/background color removal circuit 1035 to extract black in addition to CMY, an output gamma correction/gradation correction circuit 1036 to correct characteristics peculiar to the printer, and a sharpness correction circuit 1037 for edge enhancement, etc.
The RGB image data supplied to the image data input 1032 is first converted to CMY print data, corrected in color, then converted to a print data including black as well (the black print data is indicated with a reference K in FIG. 4), corrected in characteristics peculiar to the printer, edge-enhanced and sent to the output characteristic conversion circuit 1028. At this time, when a binary printer to reproduce the image based on whether a print dot exists or not, such as an ink jet printer, is used as the printer 1022, a binary coder has to be additionally provided downstream of the sharpness correction circuit 1037. In case a sublimation type printer to represent a gradation within print dots, for example, is used as the printer 1022, however, the binary coder is not necessary.
Therefore, the CMYK print data is passed sequentially through the output characteristic conversion circuit 1028 to the head drive circuit 1029 and print head 1030 which will print an image.
However, the aforementioned conventional printing methods are disadvantageous in the following respects:
First, the first method makes it necessary to use various peripheral devices and connect them to the computer, and incorporate into the computer a device driver compatible with the peripheral devices, which is very troublesome. Further, it is necessary to install an application software suitable for input, edition, process, synthesize, correct and print a desired image, and set the application software and device driver for the peripheral devices to be controllable by the application software, which is also very troublesome. Moreover, the peripheral devices which cannot be controlled by the application software have to be controlled by another application software capable of controlling the peripheral devices. In this case, the user has to handle the plurality of application software and transfer image data between them. This is very troublesome.
A so-called desktop type or tower type computer, if used as the computer, needs a large space for connection with the peripheral devices, and it is troublesome to operate the computer.
In the second conventional printing method, processes including image input, edition, processing, synthesis, correction and printing depend greatly upon the functions of the input devices and can only be achieved in a limited range. An input device of one type is greatly different in function an operating procedure from a one of the other type, so that not so many users can operate such different types of input device so easily. Currently, a silver film scanner cannot be used as the input device for this method, and thus the second method is required to be improved for printing of an image on a silver film. Further, the input device and printer are connected to each other in a one-to-one relation, so it is not possible to process image data from a plurality of input devices for printing.
Further, in both the first and second conventional printing methods, an input image data is subjected to any of edition processes including edition, processing, etc. as necessary, and the image data is not converted to a print data printable by the printer before the user gives an instruction for starting a printing operation after completion of the edition process. In the first method, an input image data is converted by the printer driver 1014 in the computer 1001, for example. On the other hand, in the second method, an input image data is sent from the digital still camera 1021, for example, to the printer 1022 where it will be converted to a print data by the RGB-CMY converter 1033, etc. Thereafter, the print data is corrected at the output characteristic conversion circuit 1028 of the output characteristic converter 1020 to match the characteristic peculiar to the head drive circuit in the printer 1002 (1022), and thereafter printed out by the print head 1004 (1030). Here the printing procedure is over.
That is, in these conventional printing methods, even after the user tries to a predetermined one of edition processes including edition, processing, synthesis, etc. of an image data, the image data subjected to the edition process will not be converted to a print data unless the user instructs to start a printing operation. During a period from completion of the edition process until the instruction to start the printing operation is given, the printer driver 1014 in the computer 1001 and output characteristic converter 1020 in the printer 1002 (in the first method), or the RGB-CMY converter 1033 and output characteristic conversion circuit 1028 of the printer 1022 (in the second method), which are to process the image data to be a print data, will not function but are in standby status. Namely, the processing capabilities of these components is not fully utilized.
When it is necessary for the user to give an instruction for an edition process by input of a parameter or the like, the user will take much time for giving a plurality of such edition process instructions. For such a long time, the components for processing image data and print data are in standby status and not in operation. Namely, the processing capabilities of these components are not fully utilized.
Since an image data is converted to a print data, corrected and printed only after the user instructs to start a printing operation, no printing will be done immediately after the user has made such an instruction. Much time is required until the printing is actually started.
Accordingly, the present invention has an object to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by providing a printing method for printing an image in a reduced time, and a printer system capable of effecting various edition processes, requiring only a small space for installation, easy to operate and capable of printing an image in a reduced time.
The above object can be attained by providing a printing method including the steps of making input of an image data; effecting a printout process to convert to print data the input image data or a data obtained by effecting edition processes of the input image data; and printing out an image based on the print data; the method further comprising, according to the present invention, the steps of starting the printout process before a printout instruction is given; and canceling the printout process if an edition process instruction is given in the middle of the printout process.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the printing method should preferably be adapted so that the printout process for conversion of the image data derived from the edition process to a print data is started after a predetermined edition process of the image data is completed and before the printout instruction is given.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the printing method should preferably be adapted so that if the edition process instruction or printout instruction is not given within a predetermined time after completion of the input of image data, the printout process of the image data should preferably be started, while if no instruction for a next edition process or no printout instruction is given within a predetermined time after completion of the predetermined edition process of image data, the printout process of the image data derived from the predetermined edition process is started.
In this case, the printing method should preferably be adapted so that if an instruction for a next edition process is to change the predetermined input operation in the middle of the predetermined edition process and the next edition process instruction is not given within the predetermined time, namely, if no instruction for a next edition process is given within the predetermined time while a series of edition processes is being done, the printout process of the edited image data is started upon completion of the predetermined edition process, that is to say, in the middle of the edition process.
The above object can be attained also by providing a printer system in which the aforementioned printing method according to the present invention, is applied, comprising, according to the present invention, an image data input in which an external input digital image data and/or analog image signal is converted to a first digital image data by an analog/digital conversion; an edition processor to edit the first digital image data at least once to provide a second digital image data as an edited image data; a printout processor to make an edition process for conversion of the first or second digital image data to a print data which is printed out by an image printer; an image printer to print out an image on a recording medium based on the print data; and a controller to control, based on an external instruction, the edition processor, printout processor and the image printer.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the printer system should preferably be adapted so that the controller provides a printout process instruction to the printout processor, before giving a printout instruction to the printout processor, to allow the printout processor to start the printout process, and provides the printout processor with a printout process cancel instruction if it has provided an edition process instruction to the edition processor to cancel the printout process being done in the printout processor.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the printer system should preferably be adapted so that the controller provides the printout processor with a printout process instruction for conversion, to a print data, of the second digital image data edited by the predetermined edition process to allow the printout processor to start the printout process after completion of the predetermined edition process at the edition processor and before the controller provides a printout instruction to the image printer.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the printer system should preferably be adapted so that the controller provides the printout processor with a printout process instruction to allow the printout processor to start a printout process of the first digital image data when the controller has provided no edition process instruction to the edition processor, or when the controller has provided no printout instruction to the printout processor, within a predetermined time after completion of the conversion to the first digital image data in the image data input, and also should preferably provide the printout processor with a printout process instruction to allow the printout processor to start a printout process of the second digital image data edited by the predetermined edition process when the controller has provided no instruction for a next edition process to the edition processor, or when the controller has provided no printout instruction to the image printer, within a predetermined time after completion of the predetermined edition process in the edition processor.
In this case, the printer system should preferably be adapted so that if an instruction for a next edition process is to change the predetermined input operation in the middle of the predetermined edition process and the next edition process instruction is not given within the predetermined time, namely, if no next edition process instruction is given within the predetermined time while a series of edition processes is being done, the controller provides the printout processor with a printout process instruction to allow the printout processor to start the printout process of the edited image data upon completion of the predetermined edition process, that is to say, in the middle of the edition process of the second digital image data.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the printer system should preferably be adapted so that the controller controls the edition processor and printout processor in parallel with a priority given to the edition process instruction from the controller to the edition processor rather than to the printout process instruction from the controller to the printout processor.
In the printing method and printer system according to the present invention, a printout process is effected to convert an input image data or an image data obtained by edition of the input image data to a print data. When an image is printed out based on the print data, the printout process is started before a printout process instruction is given, or when an edition process instruction has been given in the middle of the printout process, the printout process is canceled.
More particularly, in the printing method and printer system according to the present invention, the user determines to print out an input image data or edited image data, so that before a printout instruction is given, conversion of the input image data or edited image data to the print data is started. Namely, when the user gives a printout instruction, at least a part of the input image data or edited image data has been converted to a print data. Therefore, the time taken since the printout instruction is given until the printout is done is considerably short as compared with the conventional printing method and printer system in which an image data is converted to a print data after the printing operation is started. In the printer system according to the present invention, the printout is done for the standby time in the conventional printer system, namely, the processing capability of the printer system is fully utilized.
In the printing method and printer system according to the present invention, since if an edition process instruction is given in the middle of a printout process, the printout process is canceled, so the printout process will not interfere with the edition process which will thus be done smoothly.
Especially in the printer system according to the present invention, the controller to control the edition processor, printout processor and image printer should preferably be adapted to control the edition processor and printout processor in parallel based on an external instruction with a priority given to instruction from the controller to the edition processor rather than to instruction from the controller to the printout processor, so the printout process will not interfere with the edition process which can thus be done smoothly based on an instruction from the user.
Further, the printing method and printer system according to the present invention should preferably be adapted so that if an edition process or printout instruction is not given within a predetermined time after completion of an input image data, the printout process of the image data is stared and that if an instruction for a next edition process or a printout instruction is not given within a predetermined time after completion of an input image data, the printout process of an image data edited by the edition process is started, whereby it is possible to prevent a printout process of no use as much as possible.
Moreover, the printing method and printer system according to the present invention should preferably be adapted so that if an instruction for a next edition process is to change an input operation in the middle of a predetermined edition process and the next edition process instruction is not given within a predetermined time, namely, if no next edition process instruction is given within a predetermined time in the middle of a series of edition processes being done, a printout process of edited image data is started upon termination of the edition process by the predetermined edition process, that is to say, in the middle of edition process, whereby the time taken since the printout instruction is given until an image is printed out is considerably shortened even when various edition processes are done.
These objects and other objects, features and advantages of the present intention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.